Baseball often has a funny way of expressing itself through a team and that team's season.

Creek Wood was expected to compete for a District 11-AA title this year with a veteran group returning, despite watching a handful of seniors graduate last year.

But the Red Hawks were met with an inconsistent schedule because of inconsistent weather, a faulty defense early in the year and what head coach Chris Clapper describes as "just one of those years".

Yet Creek Wood is actually right in the thick of the district race with Waverly, Stewart County and Hickman County.

"It's been up and down," Clapper said prior to his team's 4-3 win against Camden Tuesday night. "But our kids know that it's really not how well or how poor your regular season is, as long as well level out by tournament time. If we can get a little bit better, a little more consistent and then stay that way, we can be really good."

With about two weeks left in the regular season, for Creek Wood the previous games won't matter. A 16-year veteran head coach with the Red Hawks program, Clapper knows time is on his side.

Creek Wood's Austin Porter connects on a fastball from Camden's pitcher during their District 11-AA baseball game Tuesday night.(Photo: George Robinson / USA TODAY NETWORK-Tennessee)

"I don't care what our record is by the end of the regular season," he said. "Once May gets here our record is wiped clean and we go from there."

The Red Hawks improved to 8-14 with Tuesday's win and are 6-2 and tied with Stewart County for second in district. They beat Division II power Christ Presbyterian Academy late last week.

But it's been a season of highs and lows. Creek Wood won four of seven games early but lost five straight, including a sweep by Waverly early last week that Clapper said was "brutal".

But the 8-2 victory over CPA last Thursday seems to have lifted the Red Hawks' spirit.

Creek Wood head coach Chris Clapper jokes with officials between innings during a District 11-AA game against Camden Tuesday night.(Photo: George Robinson / USA TODAY NETWORK-Tennessee)

"We're starting to hit it a bit better," Clapper said. "Our defense is much better and our pitching has been better than expected considering we're young in our rotation."

Projected No. 1 starter Garrett Dolinich has been injured much of the season with an arm injury but Clapper has used him sparingly as of late with the hopes of increasing his workload in the next two weeks.

Creek Wood's first baseman Sam Batey waits for the ball during a pickoff move at first base against District 11-AA rival Camden Tuesday night.(Photo: George Robinson / USA TODAY NETWORK-Tennessee)

"The idea is to get him throwing a complete seven innings in the next two weeks," Clapper said. "If we can get him going, I think we're in a very good position at that point."

For a team that returned only one starter who hit above .300 last year and is clawing to get back to .500 baseball this year, Creek Wood hasn't lost faith.

"I'd love to win more games," Clapper said. "I'd love to have a winning record. But those things are not that important in the postseason. By that point it's about playing your best ball and we're getting closer and closer to that."

Reach Prep writer George Robinson at georgerobinson@theleafchronicle.com or (931) 245-0747 and on Twitter @Cville_Sports.